Roasted Spaghetti Squash with Meatballs – Food Contributor

How is it already Thursday? This week is flying by but I’m glad that I get to share another great contributor post with you today. I always look forward to Melissa’s delicious and mouth-watering recipes. I think this is going to be one of my favorites.

Hey, it’s Melissa from My Mommy Style! I am excited to share one of my family’s favorite healthy dinners with you. I know it looks like there are a lot of ingredients, but it really is easy to throw together.

Spaghetti squash is one amazing vegetable. It is perfect as a side dish with a little butter and salt, but it is also a great substitute for pasta, potatoes or rice in any recipe. I love substituting roasted spaghetti squash for regular spaghetti for a low-carb, gluten free dinner. It took my kids a few times to get used to the new texture, but now they are huge fans as well. I actually prefer the spaghetti squash texture to pasta and that’s a pretty bold statement since I love me a good plate of linguine or fettuccine.

This recipe is an easy one if you are curious about substituting spaghetti squash for pasta and want to give it a try. I added the meatballs because my kids love them, but you could easily leave them out, or you could just brown the ground beef and add it to the sauce that way. This is a quick and healthy meal that is easy to adjust to your own tastes. I hope you enjoy it! Visit me at My Mommy Style for more healthy dinner ideas that your family will love!

Roasted Spaghetti Squash with Meatballs

(serves 6)

For the squash:

1 (3 lb) spaghetti squash, halved and seeded

Olive oil

For the meatballs:

1 lb. 93 % lean ground beef

1 egg, lightly beaten

2 tablespoons water

1/2 cup bread crumbs

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 teaspoon Italian seasoning

1/2 tsp. salt

1/8 tsp. pepper

For the sauce:

2 (14.5-ounce) cans fire-roasted crushed tomatoes, undrained

1 (14.5-ounce) can petite diced tomatoes

1 teaspoon sugar

2 teaspoons Italian seasoning

1 teaspoon crushed red pepper (optional)

1/2 teaspoon salt

Parmesan cheese (optional)

fresh basil (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Lightly drizzle spaghetti squash with olive oil and rub in to cover the entire squash. Place squash halves, cut sides down, on a baking dish. Bake for 50-60 minutes until tender.* Let cool slightly. Use a fork to separate the strands of squash.

* If you prefer you can make the spaghetti squash in the microwave to save some time. Drizzle with olive oil and rub in to cover the entire squash. Place squash halves, cut sides down, in a microwave-safe baking dish; add 1/4 cup water. Microwave, covered, on high for about 15 minutes. Or until tender. Cool slightly and separate strands of squash with a fork.

Thanks for another delicious recipe Melissa. Who’s going to be making Roasted Spaghetti Squash this weekend?